Published: December 1, 2012

Explore the Subsidies

State

This state spends at least
$~ per year on incentive programs, according to the most recent data available. That is roughly:

$~ per capita

~¢ per dollar of state budget

Top Incentives by type

state_name's incentive and subsidies include:

Top Incentives by industry

Note

Michigan has ended most tax credit programs, but existing credits can be used for years to come. Michigan has also lowered its business tax rate, saving many companies more on their tax bills.

Note

The state issues few incentives to businesses but does not charge a business tax.

Grants to Companies

State Programs

State Programs

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Amount

Program

No. of awards

Type

Industry

Year

State Grants

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Amount

Company

No. of grants

Types

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Town, city or county

Years

Explore the Data

The New York Times spent 10 months investigating business incentives awarded by hundreds of cities, counties and states. Since there is no nationwide accounting of these incentives, The Times put together a database and found that local governments give
up:

Choose a state on the map to see which companies receive the most money and which incentives programs are the most lucrative. The state that gives out the most incentives is Texas.
Start exploring with Texas »

Methodology

The New York Times used a variety of sources to assemble an extensive database of local spending on business incentives.
It found that local and state governments give up more than $80 billion a year to companies.

The Times included incentives of many types: cash grants, corporate income tax credits, sales tax exemptions or refunds, property tax abatements, low-cost loans or loan guarantees and free services like worker training. The database does not reflect the
savings businesses receive in states with minimal or no corporate income tax or sales tax.

The $80 billion figure is based on more than 100 records requests to state agencies nationwide and on an examination of numerous government reports. The Times identified1,874 incentives programs and compiled figures on benefits used by businesses in the
most recent year available.

Since many state programs The Times examined did not identify the names of specific beneficiaries, examples of companies were obtained from several sources, including
Investment Consulting Associates and
Good Jobs First's Subsidy Tracker Database, a non-profit policy center that focuses on economic development. (For some of those examples, the dollar
figures reflect the initial award; it is not known whether the entire benefit will be used.)